Langerak makes his next bold move in front of goal

MONTHS after former Across The Waves junior Mitchell Langerak played the game of his career in goal for German powerhouse club Borussia Dortmund there was talk he was the man to replace Roman Weidenfeller in black and yellow.

But Weidenfeller can rest easy now that Langerak has signed a three-year deal with VfB Stuttgart this week.

Langerak's presence in the German Cup semi-final at the end of April against Bayern Munich, which he was instrumental in the 2-0 win on penalties, spooked some of the world's best players and his futures at BVB looked secure.

Despite overtaking Weidenfeller for part of the season, Langerak was unable to lay claim to a permanent spot in front of goal and the move could spell more regular time on the pitch for the talented shot stopper.

Langerak is one of Australia's most-decorated players: Two Bundesliga titles, a German cup, two German Supercups, the Asian Cup, and an Australian double, along with being involved in a World Cup and a Champions League final, but the ex-Bundaberg player has played 19 games in the top-flight league since 2010.

The arrival of Swiss international Roman Burki from Freiburg to Dortmund looked to have pushed Langerak further down the pecking order, so the move was a surprise but not a shock.

The 26-year-old goalkeeper might have looked to Stuttgart to improve his chances of playing more, and in the process improve his chances of displacing Socceroos number one keeper Matt Ryan, but he is the second goalie to arrive at Stuttgart in just a matter of days.

Stuttgart also secured the signature of PSV's Przemyslaw Tyton last week meaning Langerak faces another fight, at a new club, to be seen as his team's first picked goalkeeper.

If Langerak can continue to build is reputation as a hard worker who is cool under pressure he might be able to keep Tyton out of goal and grab hold of the number one jersey at Stuttgart.